Parts of the country and close friendships I had developed with people I worked with and in my neighborhood that kept me afloat. My wife and I were both grieving in different ways and struggled to help each other. My friends being there for me allowed me to be able to be the shoulder and ear for my wife eventually.

4 of my college buddies who I roomed with realized how important that relationship was because of what happened to me. We purposely now get together for 4-7 days a year (sometimes multiple times a year) to go on a trip to catch up, talk about our lives, and talk about our challenges.

Knowing you have not just your family, but a group of friends who love and care about you and have your back no matter what (while also being able to call you to the carpet for being dumb) has been incredibly helpful for me and my friends. We’ve been doing this now for 17 years, and I don’t expect it to ever end. They are my brothers whether born from the same mother or not.